As I completed my sermon this past sunday on a disturbing passage from the Christmas story (the "slaughter of the innocents") I realized that this very interesting poem from Madeleine L'Engle was going to have to be cut as it did not fit the direction I was going. This upset me, because I found this to be a very compelling imagining of what might have happened with those children and how they fit into the overall story of Jesus. Therefore, I share it here. It is a lengthy poem, so if you would prefer to listen to me read it, you may click the audio player below and follow along.

...And The Old Man Became As A Little Child...by Madeleine L’Engle

He could not sleep.The tomb was dark, and the stone heavy that sealed it.He could not sleep for all the innocent blood he had shed.He was an old man. Too old for tears.Not yet young enough for sleep. He waited and watched.

Thrice he had spoken to him whose body had been sealedwithin the tomb, thrice had the old man spoken,he who was a disciple, but not one of the twelve,older, gentler in all ways,and tired, word with time and experience and the shedding of blood.He came from Capernaumand after that his sonwho touched the edge of deathwas drawn back from the pitand made whole,the old man returned to Jesus and said,:O thou, who hast today been the consolation of my household,wast also its desolation.Because of you my first-born diedin that great shedding of innocent blood.Nevertheless, I believethough I know not whator how or whyfor it has not been revealed to me.I only know that one manchild was slainand one made to live.”

And a second time he spokewhen the Lord kept the children beside himand suffered them not to be taken away:“These are the ones that are left us,but where, Lord, is the Kingdom of Heaven?Where, Lord, are the others?What of them? What of them?”And he wept.

And a third time he spokewhen the Lord turned to Jerusalemand laughter turned to steeland he moved gravelytowards the hour that was preparedand the bitterness of the cup:then the old man said:“All your years you have livedunder the burden of their blood.Their life was the price of yours.Have you borne the knowledge and the cost?During those timeswhen you have gone silent in the midst of laughterhave you remembered all the innocenceslaughtered that you might be with us now?When you have gone up into the mountains apart to pray,have you remembered that their lives were cut downfor your life, and so ours?Rachel’s screams shatter the silenceand I cannot sleep at night for remembering.Do you ever forget your children that sleep?When will you bring them out of the sides of the earthand show mercy unto them?Who will embrace them until you come?I cannot sleep.But because I have already tasted of the cupI cannot turn from you now.I, who live, praise you.Can those who have gone before you into the pitcelebrate you or hope for your truth?Tell me, tell me, for I am an old manand lost in the dark cloud of my ignorance.Nevertheless, blessed is hewhom thou hast chosen and taken, O Lord.”

He did not speak again.

But he was there when the rocks were rentthe veil of the temple torn in twainthe sun blackened by cloudsthe earth quaked with darkness

the sky was white and utterly empty.The city gaped with loss.Then, out of the silence,the Lord wentbearing the marks of nails and spearmoving swiftly through the darknessinto the yawning night of the pit.There he sought firstnot as one might have supposedfor Moses or Eliasbut for the childrenwho had been waiting for him.So, seeking, he was metby the three Holy Childrenthe Young Menburning brighttransforming the fire into dew as they cried:“Blessed art thou, O Lord God, forevermore.”

And all the children came runningand offering to him their bloodand singing: “With sevenfold heatdid the Chaldean tyrant in his ragecause the furnace to be heatedfor the Godly Oneswho wiped our blood like tearswhen we were thrust herelost and unknowing.The Holy Threewaited here to receive usand to teach us to sing your comingforasmuch as thou art pitifuland lovest mankind.”So they held his handand gave him their kisses and their bloodand, laughing, led him by the dragonwho could not bear their innocenceand thrashed with his tailso that the pit trembled with his rage.But even his roaring could not drown their song:“For unto Thee are due all glory, honor, and worship,with the Father and Holy Spirit, now, and ever,and unto ages of ages, Amen.”

And the holy children were round about him,the Holy Innocents and the Holy Three.They walked through the darkness of the fiery furnaceand the dragon could see their brightness,yea, he saw four walkers loosewalking in the midst of the fire and having no hurtand the form of the fourth was like the Son of God.

And he saw the Son of God move through helland he heard the Holy Children sing:“Meet is it that we should magnify thee,the life-giverwho has stretched out they hands upon the crossand hast shattered the dominion of the enemy.Blessed art thou, O Lord God, forevermore.O Jesus, God and Saviour,who didst take upon thee Adam’s sinand didst taste of death(the cup was bitter),thou hast come again to AdamO compassionate Onefor thou only art goodand lovest mankind,Blessed art thou, O Lord God forevermore.”

So hell was shrivenwhile the holy children, singing,transformed the flames to dew,and the gates of Heaven opened.